Independence Day Weekend Fun in San Diego County

Independence Day Weekend Fun in San Diego County
A panoramic view of the downtown San Diego skyline taken from Coronado Island, California. (Dreamstime/TNS)
City News Service
7/1/2022
Updated:
7/1/2022
0:00
SAN DIEGO—As the United States gets ready to celebrate its 246th birthday on July 4, events throughout San Diego County can keep citizens in red, white, and blue all weekend long.

Before the Big Day

Saturday will kick off Independence weekend with Coronado’s 2022 Crown City Classic 5k and 12k races at Coronado Tidelands Park. Enjoy live music on the main stage as well as Taiko drummers along the course. 2000 Mullinex Drive.

The Lake Murray Fireworks and Musicfest event will run from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. at Lake Murray Community Park, 7001 Murray Park Drive.

Sunday, Oceanside will host a fireworks display at SoCal Soccer Complex in celebration of Oceanside’s 134th anniversary of the city’s incorporation. Fireworks will begin at 9 p.m. Food will be available onsite beginning at 5:30 p.m. This year’s event will feature live entertainment, a family fun zone with inflatables, a picnic area, and food vendors. 3300 El Corazon Drive.

At 9 p.m., the Mission Bay Yacht Club will host Third of July fireworks before the big day, returning after a 10-year hiatus. Mission Bay Yacht Club, 1215 El Carmel Place. 
On the same day, the Gaslamp Quarter will host its Third of July Laser Show along Fifth Avenue downtown. The Budweiser Clydesdale horses will make an appearance beginning at 4 p.m.

Fourth of July

On Monday, nearly every city in the county will have some open-to-public festivities celebrating the Fourth of July.

Carlsbad

Carlsbad’s Legoland California will host the Red, White & BOOM! fireworks display set to a patriotic musical tribute at 8:30 p.m. One Legoland Drive.

Chula Vista

Chula Vista will host its 4th Fest at Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center. Gates open at 7 p.m., and fireworks set to a custom soundtrack heard only on 100.7 BIG begin at 9 p.m. at 2800 Olympic Parkway. Another recommended viewing location is Mountain Hawk Park, 1475 Lake Crest Drive.

Coronado

The Coronado Independence Day Celebration will begin with a parade at 10 a.m., Navy Leap Frogs aerial demonstration at 2 p.m., several concerts at multiple locations at 4 and 5 p.m., and fireworks at 9 p.m. over Glorietta Bay, near Stingray Point. Coronado Golf Course, 2000 Visalia Row.
Coronado will wrap up the Independence Day events with a concert in Spreckels Park, 601 Orange Avenue, at 6 p.m., a circumnavigation of the “island” bike ride at 6 p.m., and an all-class reunion at 6:30 p.m. 601 Orange Avenue.

Del Mar

The San Diego County Fair will conclude with a firework display at 9 p.m. at 2260 Jimmy Durante Boulevard.

El Cajon

El Cajon will host fireworks at Kennedy Park at 9 p.m. at 1675 E Madison Avenue.

Escondido

Escondido will host its 57th annual Independence Day Festival & Fireworks at California Center for the Arts, Escondido beginning at 5 p.m. The day’s activities include a concert on the Great Green in Grape Day Park with country music star Lorrie Morgan followed by the Third Marine Aircraft Wing Band, concluding with a fireworks display at 9 p.m. at 321 N. Broadway.

Julian

Julian will host its 27th annual 4th of July Parade down Main Street at noon.

Imperial Beach

Imperial Beach will host a drone light show from the pier for its Independence Day 2022 at 9 p.m. Marine Band San Diego will perform at Pier Plaza Stage at 7:30 p.m. Pier Plaza, 940 Seacoast Drive.

National City

The National City Lions Club will conclude a weekend-long carnival of rides, games, and food with fireworks on Monday at 9 p.m. at Kimball Park, 12th and D Streets.

Poway

Poway will host An Old Fashioned Fourth of July & Fireworks, with gates opening at 6 p.m. Event features games, activities, and a DJ spinning tunes. Fireworks will begin at 9 p.m. over both Poway High School and the Poway Sportsplex. 15500 Espola Road.

Ramona

The Ramona July 4th family picnic and fireworks show will begin at 4 p.m. at Olive Peirce Middle School with food vendors, a DJ, face painting, and fireworks at 9 p.m.

San Diego

Big Bay Boom

The world-famous Big Bay Boom will kick off in North San Diego Bay, as fireworks are launched from four barges. The show can be viewed from Shelter and Harbor islands, the Marina, North Embarcardero, and Coronado Ferry Landing, among other locations.

The show can be watched live on San Diego’s Fox 5 or Los Angeles’ KTLA 5, with a music radio simulcast at 101.5 KGB.

“This is one of the port’s major annual holiday events and one that the region’s residents and visitors look forward to every year. It’s also an incredible economic boost for businesses that operate on and around San Diego Bay,” said Dan Malcolm, Chairman of the Port of San Diego.

The Rancho Bernardo “Spirit of the Fourth” event will kick off at 6 p.m. on the athletic field of Bernardo Heights Middle School with live entertainment by Barbara Green, Slip Ridge, and Shark Jones. Fireworks begin at 9 p.m. at 12990 Paseo Lucido.

Naval Base Point Loma will invite military ID holders to experience a view of fireworks at the Freedom Festival, from 3 to 9 p.m. at Naval Base Point Loma, Harbor Drive Annex. This event is open to military families, retirees, reservists, and employees of the U.S. Department of Defense. Naval Base Point Loma annex, Nimitz Boulevard, and Harbor Drive.

SeaWorld San Diego will hold the fourth and final night of fireworks at the theme park at 8:50 p.m. The show will take place over Mission Bay. 500 Sea World Drive.

San Marcos

San Marcos will host a 4th of July celebration with carnival games and food vendors starting at 6 p.m. Fireworks at 9 p.m. Bradley Park, 1587 Linda Vista Drive.

Santee

Santee will host the 4th of July Santee Salutes event from 2 p.m.- 10 p.m. Event features a kids fun zone, a flyover by San Diego Salute Formation Flying Team at 3:45 p.m., food vendors, a patriotic ceremony at 6 p.m., an “80z All-Star” concert at 6:30 p.m. and fireworks at 9 p.m.

Vista

Vista will begin the party with its Independence Day celebration at Brengle Terrace Park. Park opens at 7 a.m., Moonlight Amphitheatre opens at 5 p.m. The DecaDames will perform at 7:35 p.m. and again after the fireworks, which begin at 9 p.m.

Morning After Mess

After all the fireworks, barbecues and partying, there tends to be a mess to clean up, so Surfrider Foundation of San Diego County will host the “Morning After Mess“ beach cleanup at seven locations around the county, including Ocean Beach Pier, OB Dog Beach, Mission Beach, Fiesta Island, Pacific Beach, Moonlight State Beach in Encinitas and near the Oceanside Pier.
Sophie Li contributed to this report.